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We wonder whether our homes And a neighborhood will be decimated

To the Editor:

We read with interest the Enterprise article of Jan. 16, on the plan proposed to upgrade transmission lines in New York State. We also note the editorial in the issue of Jan. 23. While we appreciate the article’s thorough coverage of New Scotland, we were disappointed that our area was not addressed, though you included a map showing Guilderland. This seemed especially surprising considering that the Enterprise offices are only about one mile from where the power corridor crosses Route 146.

We and several of our neighbors attended one of the two forums that were held by National Grid (we have not heard from any of the other entities) at the Best Western Hotel on Western Avenue on Nov. 14, 2013. At the presentation, representatives covered various aspects of the proposal; we have a one-page flyer they distributed called “New York Energy Solution: an upstate-downstate public policy and congestion-relief project brought to you by National Grid.”

This was a brief outline with some questions and answers. Of immediate concern is information listed as the “scope of the work,” which is in contrast to the implication in the article, at least locally.

It states: “However, some new rights-of-way will be acquired.” If no solutions are found to enable use of the existing corridor, it would be expanded. Then they would invoke eminent domain. Here is where our raod, and perhaps others in the town fall.

The corridor in New Scotland may be 650 feet wide. But the magnitude of the problem is much greater locally, since, where we live, it narrows to 450 feet. This would seem to in crease the likelihood of additional lands being taken.

And here we sit alongside it, wondering whether our homes and a neighborhood will be decimated. When questioning the presenters, their expectations seem to be somewhat different than the editorial’s statement that “the project is in its nascent stages and won’t be built for several years.” This statement leaves the impression that we make a big difference because they’re just starting to discuss it. This is not true.

We were informed that they’re on a five-year time-table. Project completion, that is. This means in a worst-case scenario, and this was explained at the forum, we could lose not only our property, but our homes as well. Governor Cuomo’s State of the State address indicated support for the project, so it appears to be a “done deal.”

Most of us were quite upset when we left the forum. We look forward to hearing more about this in the future Enterprise articles. Thank you